REEF offers a variety of trips and projects that provide divers and snorkelers a meaningful way to spend their vacation.
REEF Field Surveys
These week-long trips are a great introduction to fish identification for novice fishwatchers, and a fun way for experienced surveyors to build their life list while interacting with fellow fishwatchers. REEF coordinates Field Surveys to locations throughout our project regions each year. These projects are led by REEF staff and other REEF instructors and feature daily classroom seminars and a full diving schedule. More Information and Schedule
REEF Discovery, Behavior and Cryptic Species Tours
These are specialized Field Surveys led by REEF co-founders and acclaimed marine life authors, Paul Humann and Ned DeLoach. These projects focus on introducing participants to the wide variety and fascinating behaviors of marine life found on coral reefs. While fish identification and REEF surveying is not always the primary goal of these specialized trips, conducting REEF surveys is always encouraged and materials and guidance is provided.
Special Research Projects
These trips coincide with ongoing conservation research projects that REEF is involved with. Examples include invasive lionfish research in the Bahamas and Nassau grouper spawning aggregation research in the Cayman Islands.
Advanced Assessment Team Projects
These projects are exclusively for members of the REEF Advanced Assessment Team (AAT), surveyors who have achieved Level 4 or 5 status. Past AAT projects have included annual monitoring on the Spiegel Grove artificial reef in the Florida Keys, biodiversity assessments in Biscayne National Park, marine reserve monitoring in the Channel Islands in California, and nearshore assessments in the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary. AAT members are notified directly about project opportunities.
REEF Experience Level Program
Participating in a REEF Trip is the perfect way to fine tune your fish surveying skills so that you can be considered a REEF Advanced or Expert surveyor. By conducting at least 25 surveys and completing a Level 3 exam, you are then considered a REEF Advanced surveyor and eligible to take the Advanced Level 4 and 5 exam (REEF Expert Level). Make your data count even more - move through the REEF Experience Level Program today. REEF Trips are the perfect time to make this jump to REEF Expert. There is no charge for increasing your REEF Experience level, just let our REEF Dedicated Travel Consultant (1-877-295-7333 (REEF), REEF@caradonna.com) know you are interested when booking your trip.